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Old November 10, 2012, 08:20 PM   #1
kilotanker22
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good black bear medicine???

I am going to hunt black bear for the first time this year. I have a 270 wsm shooting 150 grain power point ammo. Do you all think that this is good black bear medicine?
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Old November 10, 2012, 08:21 PM   #2
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Also any personal experience with this caliber and game are appreciated.
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Old November 10, 2012, 08:36 PM   #3
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270

It should be fine where are you hunting?
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Old November 10, 2012, 10:03 PM   #4
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I am hunting north central Pennsylvania.
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Old November 11, 2012, 12:26 AM   #5
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My brothers use 30-30's, I used a 32 Win spcl and my uncle took a moose with his 270 and 130 gr bullets so I would say bear is toast as long as you know where to shoot him. Go for it and send us an invite for some bear roast.
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Old November 11, 2012, 12:32 AM   #6
Zorro
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Too much velocity for up close.

Tame the Magnum with a heavy bullet.

Where you are you are not making 300+ yard shots.

Suggest a Deer bullet at 2300 FPS or less.
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Old November 11, 2012, 12:48 AM   #7
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I'd use a 44 mag levergun just one mans opinion though.
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Old November 11, 2012, 02:08 AM   #8
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.35 Remington works well in your neck of the woods.
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Old November 11, 2012, 08:15 AM   #9
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Quote:
Too much velocity for up close.

Tame the Magnum with a heavy bullet.
You'll be fine, 150 is a heavy bullet in 270. Hunters have been killing bear with the 270 Win and 130 gr bullets @3100 fps since 1925. A 150 at the same speed will get the job done.
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Old November 11, 2012, 09:02 AM   #10
Art Eatman
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Yeah, I'd call it "good to go". The heavier bullet is less likely to blow up and give poor penetration.
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Old November 11, 2012, 09:39 AM   #11
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The heavy bullet advice that others are giving you is GOOD advice.
Black Bear are easily killed with any good deer gun as long as you get good penetration. Too much velocity causes bullets to 'blow-up' and impedes penetration.
If you handload I'd suggest you use a 160 grain Nosler Partition or any weight of Barnes X bullet from 130-150 grains. They will shoot right through an average black bear and give great wound channels too.
I have a 270 WSM and have only killed a few animals with it, but it chronographs only 100 FPS faster than my 270 Winchester (which has a 25 inch barrel) and I have killed more game than I can count with my other 270s so I know you'll have good luck with those bullets.

Think of the magnum as a standard 270 with an extra 65 yards of range.
The velocity of the WSM at 65 yds is the same as the 270 Win at the muzzle.
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Old November 11, 2012, 10:22 PM   #12
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Thanks for the thoughts guys a friend of mine here says it will not penetrate the front shoulder. I figured shoot it right in the shoulder to put it on the ground then a follow up. Or just shoot it in the head.
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Old November 12, 2012, 08:51 AM   #13
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A .270 wsm will easily penetrate the shoulder of a black bear, especially if you use a good quality bullet. People kill elk and moose with the.270 win and the wsm variety all the time and they are much bigger and tougher than a black bear. I read an article I (don't recall the author) where the author shot kudu and gemsbok with a .270 wsm I believe he used 150 grain premium bullet but I am not certain.
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Old November 12, 2012, 08:57 AM   #14
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Like any reasonable caliber, it will work if used properly.

Two of my friends who guide for bear in Maine both have complained about 270's, however, having tracked a few bears that seemed to have been hit fairly well with that caliber. They recommend the heaviest bullet available if their hunters insist on .270.

From personal experience having killed a few bears with a few different calibers, I really like the 30.06.

That said, I've killed them with arrows, too. I think bears are a bit different than other game animals. You might encounter an average 150 pound bear which isn't much harder to kill than a whitetail, or you could very well run into a 400 pound monster (PA has some big bears). I'd rather be overgunned for a small bear, than under-gunned for a brute.

Best of luck to you. Bear hunting is some serious, heart-pounding fun.
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Old November 12, 2012, 07:06 PM   #15
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The black bear in the Adirondacks who could open " bear proof containers " has been taken by a hunter .A 20 year old female .I hope she passed on the knowledge to her young !
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Old November 13, 2012, 09:45 PM   #16
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Power Points are pretty fragile at that velocity. I'd use the Winchester PowerMax.
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Old November 16, 2012, 08:51 PM   #17
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Well tomorrow is opening day I am so excited probably won't sleep
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Old November 17, 2012, 06:55 PM   #18
Jack O'Conner
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I'm not a fan of long barreled magnum rifles for hunting the forests of Pennsylvania. But if the 270 MAG is all you have it will work fine if you wait for good shot into the chest organs.

I hunt bears with guys within Mifflin County. Most popular rifle in our group is Remington slide action 30-06. My bear rifle is a Savage lever action in .308 shooting round nose 180 grain bullets.

Good hunting to you.
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Old November 17, 2012, 10:22 PM   #19
kilotanker22
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jack

I too like a shorter rifle but both of my hunting rifles are win model 70 with 24 inch barrels. One a 270 and the other a 270 ask.

On another note the spot I hunted seems prime for bear found two sets of tracks and multiple scats. One of the piles was not even frozen. Heavy cover and woods right between a river and a very large corn field out in the sticks.
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Old November 20, 2012, 06:33 PM   #20
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put one in his heart/lungs thru the shoulder so he cant run, he wont know the difference. its all about reaching and puncturing the organs. sounds harsh but its science. Good luck and may the wind be in your face, or else god bless you.
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Old November 21, 2012, 10:16 AM   #21
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Read the sign !
At the diner yesterday a fellow was talking about bear at a location near where he was hunting . They took 9 or 10 bear on opening day there !
I asked where was that ? A place called " Bear Swamp " !!
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Old November 27, 2012, 03:25 AM   #22
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The .270 will work fine for bear, just use the heaviest, most durable bullets that you can find. The Nosler Partition is an outstanding bullet for hunting larger animals such as black bear. Black bears aren't bullet proof by any means, but they are much tougher than deer. Make a good shot into the heart/lungs of one and he won't go far. Don't try to get creative and shoot for the head, you are more likely to miss or wound the bear than to kill it.
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Old December 6, 2012, 04:24 AM   #23
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My grandfather took 2 grizzleys and many a moose with only a .270. He was a braver man than I am! Although he did have a Llama .44 mag on his hip just in case.
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Old December 7, 2012, 07:29 AM   #24
mete
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http://forums.accuratereloading.com/...3/m/7651057281

Here's a nice 702 lb black bear in NJ. IIRC NJ is a shotgun [buckshot] only state.
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Old December 8, 2012, 09:31 PM   #25
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The 270wsm is an excellent caliber. Ballistics similar to a 7mm rem mag but in a short action. I would suggest either a nosler partition or a barnes tsx either one will hold together at faster speeds and close range.
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